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SPORTSSaturday 13 February 2016
Shaq, Iverson finalists, Yao could join them in Hall of Fame
BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer
TORONTO (AP) — Shaquille
O’Neal was just 9 years old
when his stepfather began
teaching him basketball
with a plan to dominate
like Wilt Chamberlain, Bill
Russell and Kareem Abdul-
Jabbar.
Young Shaquille didn’t
even know who they were.
Now he’s on the verge of
joining them in basketball
immortality.
“He told me this day would
happen and I never be-
lieved him,” O’Neal said of
Phillip Harrison, who raised
Shaq along with his mother
and died in 2013.
O’Neal was chosen Friday
as a finalist for induction
into the Naismith Memo-
rial Basketball Hall of Fame,
joining Allen Iverson to high-
light the potential class.
Yao Ming could accompa-
ny them in Springfield, Mas-
sachusetts in September,
though he was nominated
by the Hall’s International
Committee and wasn’t
subject to the step O’Neal
and Iverson had to clear
Friday.
Former Phoenix Suns point
guard Kevin Johnson, col-
lege coaches Tom Izzo,
Bo Ryan, Lefty Driesell, Ed-
die Sutton and Muffet Mc-
Graw; women’s superstar
Sheryl Swoopes, longtime
referee Darrel Garret-
son, high school coaches
Thunder beats Pelicans
on sad day for both teams
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) —
Playing with a heavy heart
a night after the wife of
assistant coach Monty Wil-
liams died, Russell West-
brook led Oklahoma to a
121-95 victory over New Or-
leans on Thursday.
Ingrid Williams was involved
in a car crash Tuesday in
Oklahoma City and died
Wednesday. A moment of
silence was observed by
both teams who had ties to
the couple. Monty Williams
coached the Pelicans last
season before coming to
Oklahoma City to help new
In this Nov. 12, 1997, file photo, Philadelphia 76ers Allen Iverson
(3) goes into the air against Houston Rockets center Hakeem
Olajuwon in the second quarter of an NBA basketball game, in
Houston.
Leta Andrews and Rob-
ert Hughes, 10-time AAU
national champion Way-
land Baptist University, and their fans are all there.
John McClendon, the first
African-American coach
in a professional league,
were also chosen as final-
ists by the North American
or Women’s Committees.
The entire class will be un- couldn’t be much different
veiled April 4 in Houston
before the NCAA cham-
pionship game and en-
shrinement ceremonies
are set for Sept. 9 in what
coach Billy Donovan.
Westbrook had 23 points, 10
assists and nine rebounds.
Kevin Durant scored 23
points, and Serge Ibaka
added 18 for the Thunder.
They have won 14 of 16
heading into the All-Star
break.
Anthony Davis and Jrue
Holiday each scored 23
points for the Pelicans.
Westbrook got his 10th as-
sist on Ibaka’s 3-pointer
that gave the Thunder a
79-65 lead. Westbrook had
his ninth rebound with just
under 3 minutes to go in the lead with 15 seconds left.
vision by becoming an in- I had to relinquish that title
side force like Chamber- the moment I saw Allen
lain, Russell and Abdul-Jab- Iverson play.”
bar on his way to four NBA Yao recalled first watching
championships and an the NBA live in China during
Associated Press MVP award. the 1994 finals, when Hous-
“Later on in my career peo- ton won the title. He went
could be an overcrowded ple started comparing me on to play for the Rockets
birthplace of basketball if to them, so I was like if you after they made the 7-6
O’Neal, Yao, Iverson and want to compare me to center the No. 1 pick in
the greats, I have to repre- the 2002 draft, and now he
“We’re going to go on sent the game with grace could find out he’s a Hall of
tour,” joked Jerry Colange- and honor and hopefully I Famer in that city.
lo, chairman of the Hall of did that,” O’Neal said.
Fame board. “It could be a Iverson came casually “I feel very peaceful,” Yao
big one.” dressed as he did for most said. “I’m glad it all can be
O’Neal and Iverson of his career, wearing a T- connected to Houston.”
shirt, Yankees hat and fad- He, O’Neal and Iverson all
as people or players. ed jeans with a couple of benefited from a recent
The 7-foot-1 O’Neal, neck chains as accessories. change in Hall of Fame
dressed in business attire It was his look that made rules that made a player
wearing a jacket and tie, him as popular with a gen- eligible for candidacy after
lived up to his stepfather’s eration of fans as his game. four full years of retirement.
“I’m a product of Michael It was previously five, which
Jordan, Isiah Thomas, Mag- meant they were actu-
ic Johnson, Charles Barkley, ally six years removed from
Shaquille O’Neal, all those their playing days before
guys that paved the way they could be enshrined.
for us,” Iverson said. “They “Now we benefit this year
might not have no idea of by a couple of people who
what they did for us as kids are going to be eligible, but
wanting to be like them.” we’ve been talking about
And many of today’s small, this for a while as a board,”
speedy guards wanted to Colangelo said. “So I think
be like Iverson, a 6-foot, it’s a good move for the
relentless wave of energy Hall of Fame.”
who averaged 26.7 points, Longtime NBA reporter
won four scoring titles and David Aldridge and ESPN
an MVP award. broadcaster Jay Bilas won
“I was fast until Allen Iver- the 2016 Curt Gowdy Me-
son. I’m not afraid to ad- dia Awards, while Big Ten
mit it,” Kevin Johnson said. Commissioner Jim Delany
“They called me the fastest is the John W. Bunn Life-
point guard in the NBA with time Achievement Award
the basketball, and I knew winner.q
third quarter before head- Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, right, cele-
ing to the bench for his brates with teammate Anthony Morrow (2) in the second quarter
usual rest and the Thunder of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans in
ahead 86-68. Oklahoma City, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016.
BUCKS 99, WIZARDS 92
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Khris Associated Press
Middleton scored 27 points,
Giannis Antetokounmpo Middleton tied a season points for the Wizards, and
had 17 points and 13 re-
bounds, and Milwaukee high with nine assists. John Wall had 15 points
held off Washington.
Middleton answered again, Bradley Beal scored 19 and 10 assists.q
hitting a jumper in the lane
on the next possession be-
fore setting up a drive-and-
dish to Greg Monroe that
gave the Bucks a 97-90